Important Info

The central aim of the YRAA is to provide our student/athletes with opportunities for personal growth through sport.  The one group of students that has been under serviced is students with special needs.  The YRAA Executive and membership has identified this as a concern and has committed to increasing opportunities through our existing inter-school sport program and through the implementation of SNAP, the Special Needs Athletic Program.

The YRAA Executive has identified two priorities to increase opportunities for our students with disabilities.

1. Increase the awareness of Athletic Designates, Special Education Department Heads, Principals & Vice Principals and board support services of existing opportunities within the current YRAA structure.  Events such as the SWAD (Swimmers With A Disability) designation within our current swimming program, wheel chair events for track (1500m for boys and 800m for girls), track events for students with visual impairments (1500m for boys, 800m for girls) and ambulatory track events (100m for both girls and boys).  Accommodations currently exist for students with hearing impairment and as a result these students have full access to all YRAA sports.
2. Introduce the Special Needs Athletic Program to increase the opportunities for students that are developmental delayed or are autistic and do not fit into the gifted category.  While nothing precludes students in the fore mentioned groups from participating on current school teams, the nature of their disabilities makes it highly unlikely that they would be successful in making a team.  There will be a SNAP event in each of the three sport playing seasons and events will be administered according to the same protocol as other YRAA events. 

SNAP Values
•  Honour the effort and physical abilities of all our students.
•  Provide opportunities for all students to participate in team and individual sports at an appropriate level of competition.
• Encourage students to be physically active throughout their lives.
•  Improve integration of students with special needs into the greater school community.
•  Provide opportunities for students to develop their physical abilities in an environment of friendly competition.
•  Develop physical capacity and self esteem in all participants
•  Introduce students to a variety of sports and activities in a safe & supportive environment.
•  Increase the awareness of sporting opportunities available in the school & community.

If you would like to know how to get your students involved in SNAP, would like to host an event at your school, or have any questions, please check the yraa.com website or contact the YRAA Office at 905-470-1551.